Bottle capping machine



Oct. 1, 1935. R. w. VON SYDOW ET AL 2,015,913

I I BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE v Filed Oct. 26, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I 18 218a j JNVENY'OPS EUDOLF m VON smoW EDWARD J M 001 1, 1935- R. w. VONSYDOW EIYAL 2,015,913

I BOTTLE CAgPING MACHINE Filed Oct. 26, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 2 3 5INVENTORY JPUDOLF WMVO/V sypon EDWARD 0]. M 00) I /11 BY 4 ATTORNEY Oct.1, 1935. R w, VON SYDOW T AL BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Filed Oct. 26, 19325 Sheets-Shet 3 SW @%W m ryw F MSM 0 W WM A Fwy w A 4 W Patented Oct; 1,1935 PATENT GFFlCE BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Rudolf W. von Sydow and EdwardJ; McCoy,

Saginaw, Mich., assignors to Apex Paper Products Corporation, Saginaw,Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application October 26, 1932, SerialNo. 639,644

6 Claims.

This invention relates to bottle capping mechanisms. It pertains to anew and useful cap afiixing device that can be used as an attachment fora bottle filling machine, or it may be embodied in 1 a separate machine.I

In our co-pending application, Serial No. 599,468, there is shown anddescribed a bottle cap of heavy paper, blanked out and pressed topresent a central flat disk portion Surrounded by a peripheral flange ofinverted U-shaped cross section. Such a cap provides a seal around theannular shoulder which is inside of the neck, and

also seals around the exterior surface of the head at the mouth of thebottle.

and useful structural features by which the various steps of a capaffixing operation are per: formed. Among such novel collateral featuresare the following: 7

. An arrangement whereby the supply stack of caps and also the devicesfor releasing caps from the stack are kept from undesirable shaking' orjarring, so that the caps can be fedout, one at a time with certaintyand are correctly positioned on the bottle mouths regardless of ordinarymanufacturing variations in the shape, size and thickness of the caps.The cap releasemechanism includes a novel retarding means whereby eachcap is tilted asit is released from the stack so as to fall flatwise onthe guideway leading to the cap affixing zone.

A stationary cap guiding member, preferably a chute, a trough, or itsequivalent, employed to direct the caps from thestationary container tothe bottle, is alsoutilized to provide the above mentioned rigid supportforthe container and the cap releasing mechanism which is mounted on thewall of the container.

The claimed invention includes :a novel stop device of simpleconstruction whose function is to 1 halt the cap as it leaves the guidemember and to cause each cap to drop fairly onto'thebottle mouth'f Thevertically reciprocating capping plunger is provided with animprovedyieldable mounting to enable the plunger tocap bottles ofvariant heights withoutfany'manual adjustment of the machine. it

The operating principle involved in the present invention is that of amachine which delivers caps one at a time from a stationary supply stackin such a way that one edge of the cap is released from the stackslightly in advance of its diametri- 5 cally opposite edge, thusdelivering the cap in a tilted position to a downwardly'inclinedguideway, along which it slides by gravity, or else, in a modifiedembodiment, is propelled by mechanical means to a position above thebottle mouth. 10 There the cap is halted by a suitable stop and isconstrained to drop freely and land fairly upon the beaded mouth of abottle in readiness to be pressed into sealed position by the cappingplunger.

In the appended claims we have pointed out the essential elements of ourinvention, it being understood, however, that the claims are notintended to be limited to the form of the parts illustrated anddescribed further than a limitation to the described form is necessaryto distinguish them from the prior art.

Like reference characters indicate like parts in all figures of thedrawings.

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the invention as it line 22 of Fig. 1,showing the plunger raised and a cap in the act of being delivered fromthe container.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the plunger in its cap affixingposition, the supply of caps being held in the container.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail showing a face view of a partof the cap-releasing device, viewed in the direction of the arrow inFig. 3,

the cap-supporting finger being removed.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a part sectional view showing the invention in a modifiedform, employing mechanical means instead of a gravity chute forimpelling the released caps from the end of the guide member.

The preferred embodiment is illustrated in Figs.

1, 2, 3, where numeral 1 designates avertically reciprocatory plungerthat is actuated by a cross- 7 dependent of a bottle filler.

head 2 on a vertically reciprocatory drive rod 3, or else to any otherappropriate part of a bottle filling machine (not shown) if theinvention is to be employed as an attachment for a bottle filler; or rod3 may represent any suitable power driven member of a capping machinewhich is in- Spring cushioning means t on the stem Ia of the plungerbelow the cross-head 2 serve to limit thepressing force that can beapplied to the bottle cap during the down stroke of the cross-head inorder to prevent breaking any bottles that are oversize or unusuallytall. A second spring, 5, on the stem Ia between cross-head 2 and ashoulder Ib on the upper end of the plunger stem Ia serves to yieldinglylift the plunger I when cross-head 2 moves upward.

A stationary container 6, holding'a supply of stacked caps ll, islocated preferably somewhat higher than plunger I and remote from it, asshown, to permit the cap to feed downward by gravity to the cap affixingstation.

The cap container, being stationary and rigid, is distinguishedfunctionally from earlier hoppers that reciprocated vertically duringthe capping operation and consequently jarred the stack of caps,sometimes interfering with their proper delivery. Stationary container 6constitutes a rigid base or support for the cap-releasing mechanism andprevents it from becoming disarranged or misadjusted, assuring precisionin its operation. Moreover, the cap releasing mechanism is located sothat its actions can readily be timed in with capping plunger I Guideway8 extends downwardly from the container and then laterally, preferablyin a horizontal direction, at 8a, toward the path of travel of plungerI. The guide may be in the form of a toboggan-like trough, shown in Fig.1, or a drop-and-slicer feed, as in Fig. 6. The guide preferably isintegral with the container I5 or else is firmly secured to it, andconstitutes a rigid support. The lower part of guide 8 is horizontal andterminates adjacent to the working zone of plunger I, so that a capsliding freely down the guide 8 will leave the end 8a and project itselfacross the path of travel of the plunger.

Appropriate stop means, as wall 9, halts the projected lateral flight ofthe cap just after it leaves the delivery end 8a of the guideway 8 andcompels the cap to drop fairly upon the rim of the bottle mouth ready tobe pressed into place by a subsequent action of the cap affixing plungerI. V

The cap releasing device may be of any suitable type without departingfrom the scope of the invention as defined in certain of the claims, butthe structure illustrated is deemed to be preferable and in itselfembodies certain new and useful claimed'features. As shown in Figs. 2 to5 there are two cap engaging elements mounted on the wall of the fixedcontainer 6 and positioned near its bottom end opposite guideway 8. Ofthese elements, yieldable finger II] has. only inand out movement, theother element, claw II, having in-and-out and also up-and-downmovements.

Projection I 2 on'the wall of container 6 is provided for tilting andretarding an edge of each cap so it will travel edge foremost along theguideway from the stack onto the bottle after 7 having been released byfinger I6.

The means for retracting finger I0, also the means for moving claw I Ilengthwise of the container while causing it first to grip and thenrelease the stack of caps, are shown in their preferred form in Figs. 2to 5. A wall of container 6 is formed with a longitudinal slit-likeaperture I3 near its bottom and above the aperture at 60: the wall isbeveled exteriorly. A plate I 6 fixed to container I5 overlies thebeveled portion 9a. 5

It is'formed to present a channel I la for strap I la. Finger II], whichis made of resilient metal, is secured at oneend to the plate I 4 andabout midway of its length there is an inward camshaped projection I5.10

Finger I 0 provides a temporary rest for one edge of the cap while theopposite edge is being supported by projection I2 which is rounded asshown in Fig, 3. Finger I9, when withdrawn as in Fig. 2, releases thebottom cap Ia from the 15 stack. Being for the moment retarded byprojection I2, the cap "Ia tilts as it falls onto the inclined guideway8.

The longitudinally movable flexible metal strap I Ia lies against thewall of container 5 and slides 20 II a is pulled upward, as in Fig. 2.30

Two cams I6, I 6, Figs. 4 and 5, are provided on the outer faces of thebifurcations. When strap Ila. is drawn upwardly cams I9 enter channel Iia of plate I I and by wedging action therein the cams force theflexible strap I I a to bend, as 35 shown in Fig. 2, so as to seatitself fiat against the beveled face 6a of the wall of the container.The extremities of claw II, while moving upward are thus forced into thecontainer and seize the marginal edge, or the outer peripheral wall, ofthe nexttobottom cap 'Ib, push it against the opposite wall of thecontainer at I I and thus temporarily support the stack. Cam IIdmeanwhile, by its engagement with cam I5, withdraws finger I 0 andreleases the lowermost cap 7a, which, being slightly retarded byprojection I2, tilts and then drops, landing flatwise upon inclinedchute 8, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

When the strap Ila reverses its direction and begins to move downward bygravity due to its own weight and the weight of the superimposed capsits cam IId releases finger II] which projects itself into thecontainer, as shown in Fig. 3. Cam I6, on strap IIa, moves down out ofthe channel I la in bar I4, permitting strap IIa to straighten,whereupon claw II releases the cap 1b which it had been holding. Thestack of caps then settles down to temporarily rest on finger I0 andprojection I2. The operation is repeated to deliver each succeeding cap.

The requisite alternating upward and downward movements of strap Ila areeffected as follows:

At the upper end of strap IIa is a boss I8 having a recess I8a in whichthe end of a trigger member I9 is loosely received. Trigger I9, pivotedat 29 to a fixed support as container 6, is arranged so that its outerfree cam-shaped end I9a shall be appropriately contacted by a yieldablewiper 2 I as it moves up with cross-head 2, and its top edge iscontacted by 2| on its down I stroke, as shown in Fig. 2, or with anyother suitably moving part in timed relation with the strokes of thecapping plunger I.

Referring now to the alternative structure, Fig. 75

A cross bar He is fixed 25 Cit 6, numeral 22 designates a horizontalguide or chute, 23 is a sliding feeder plate having its end 23a shapedto fit the rim of a bottle cap, and 24 is a bell crank lever joined atone end by pin and slot connection 24a to plate 23. Lever 24 is pivotedat 2422 to a fixed support, as housing 6-, and its upper end 240 isreceived in an elongated slot 25 of a vertically movable bar 26 which iscarried by cross-head 2. Slot 25 has its end walls positioned so as tosuitably abut and actuate the bell crank lever and feeder plate 23.

Strap I la has a projection 21 which is engaged by stop members 28, 28aon a bar 29 that moves .up and down with cross-head 2, for actuating thethicker or thinner than ordinary. They may even be inaccurate in size,may have various degrees of surface roughness, or may vary in shape dueto slight warping that sometimes occurs while they are in storage. Thecapping device herein described will operate satisfactorily regardlessof such variations.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A bottle capping machine including a vertically reciprocatory plungerand having, in combination, a container for a supply of caps that arestacked fiatwise, the stack being located on a fixed support higher thanthe plunger, a continu-- ous guideway extending downwardly and thencelaterally in a horizontal direction from the container to a placeadjacent the zone of travel of the plunger, cap releasing meansassociated with the container and including cam-actuated cap grippersand an opposed cap-engaging projection co-operating with said grippers,saidreleasing means being operable to deliver from the container tosaidguideway one cap at a time, actuating mechanism for said releasing meansoperable in timed relation to said plunger, a stop memberpositioned tobe engaged by a cap upon leaving the lower horizontal end of saidguideway, said stop member being arranged to constrain said cap to dropstraightdown flatwise and thereby seat itself upon the rim of a bottlemouth which is located in the path of travel of the plunger.

2. A bottle capping machine including a vertically reciprocatory cappingplunger having, in

combination, a stationary container positioned remote from the zone ofoperation of the plunger, cap releasing means operable to deliver onecap at a time from said container in appropriate timed relation to theoperations of the plunger, said releasing means including an abutmentpositioned to be releasably engaged by an edge of a cap being deliveredfrom the container, whereby the cap upon release is caused to tilt, aguide- Way extending downwardly at an incline from the container andleading to the zone of action of the plunger, and stop means arranged toengage the cap upon leaving said guideway and serving to direct the caponto a bottle positioned in the path of travel of the plunger.

3. A bottle capping machine having a reciprocatory cap applying plungerand including in combination a stationary container for a supply ofbottle caps, a cap release device operatively associated with thecontainer, actuating means for said release device operable in timedrelation with said plunger, cap tilting means associated with thecontainer and adapted to tilt each cap upon its release, and a guideelement arranged to conduct such tilted released caps by gravity to thezone of travel of said plunger.

4. A bottle capping machine including in combination, a fixed containerfor a stack of caps, provided with an outlet at its lower end, a fixedhorizontal guideway spaced below said outlet, a reciprocatory slidingfeeder plate mounted on said guideway, a cap-retaining spring fingermounted on a wall of said container and normal- 1y urged intocap-retaining position, a fixed cap- 30 retarding projection on thecontainer opposite said finger, a cross-bar movable lengthwise ofthecontainer adapted to effect movement of said finger to release position,and means for actuating said horizontal feeder plate and said cross-bar85 in timed relation.

5. In acap applying machine a stationary cap container formed with alongitudinal aperture near its lower end and an exteriorly beveledportion above said aperture, a finger mounted on afixed support andnormally held in the aperture in cap-engaging position, a cam-shapedpro- 'jection on said finger, a flexible strap longitudinallyreciprocable on the container and having a cam-shaped element adapted toengage the projection on said finger, a second cam on said strap,

a fixed plate member opposite said beveled portion and formed with achannel to slidingly receive said second cam whereby the strap is flexedand forced against the said beveled portion. 5

6. A capping machine including a reciprocatory plunger and having incombination a container for a stack of caps, said container beingmounted on a fixed support, a cap delivery device arranged to releaseone edge of the endmost cap of said stack slightly in advance of itsdiametrically opposite edge, whereby each cap is delivered in a tiltedposition, and a guideway for receiving the cap, arranged to deliver itto the zone of action of the plunger, for the purposes set forth.

RUDOLF WM. VON SYDOW. EDWARD J. MCCOY.

